Removing cables in architecture photography

When photographing in the city, cables tend to provide a lot of distractions in architectural images. When possible, I remove them in Photoshop. It is a painstakingly long process, but the results are always worth it.

When I decided to shoot the building below, the shots were disappointing because of the streetcar cables from the nearby intersection. While it was a huge amount of work, the difference is stunning. See for yourself:

So what does it take to remove so many cables? A lot of patience, for starters. For the sky, the Spot Healing Brush Tool does wonder. For the rest, I used the clone tool. My goal is to replicate the different parts of the building, aligning the stamp with clearly visible lines and patterns. Because of perspective, I sometimes have to change the scale or the angle of the stamp.

I also used the Vanishing Point filter, which allows you to clone with perspective. You start by drawing a perspective grid and then the filter automatically adjusts your clone stamp with the perspective. Be sure to draw the grid carefully. It’s worth spending extra time to make sure it is well placed.

The two other images of this side of the building were not as painful because they were not shot from across the intersection.

South Elevation

East Elevation

It is a lot of boring work, but removing cables really makes a different in architectural shots. Newer neighborhoods with buried cables are just heaven to me!

Here are some other shots from that photoshoot. They were cable-free 😉

Southwest View

Southwest View

Northwest View

Atrium

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I am a commercial architecture photographer living in Toronto. When I am not photographing commercial interiors and exteriors for my clients, I like to travel the world to photograph fine art cityscapes and architecture.